Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base games are well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of these gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Generally, symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur provide higher awards.
Certain known gaming machines include a plurality of reels. Each reel includes a plurality of symbols. After a player places a wager on the game, the reels spin and then stop to display a generated combination of symbols on the reels. If a winning symbol or winning combination of symbols is/are generated along an active payline associated with the reels (or in a scatter pay configuration), the player receives the award associated with the generated winning symbol or generated winning combination of symbols. Certain players become frustrated if they “almost win an award” when the symbols necessary for a winning combination substantially appear on the reels but are missing a symbol or are not in the proper configuration or order to produce a winning symbol combination.
One popular game feature which attempts to resolve such frustration in these situations and increase the player's award opportunities is a wild symbol. A wild symbol changes, replaces or functions as one of the symbols on one of the reels after the reels initially spin and stop. Such wild symbols enable a first or non-winning combination of symbols to change to a second and possibly winning combination of symbols (e.g., to make a winning combination or align a winning combination on an active payline). Such wild symbols further enable a first winning combination of symbols associated with a first award amount to change to a second winning combination of symbols associated with a second, more lucrative award amount.
As wild symbols increase the level of enjoyment and excitement for certain players, there is a continuing need to employ wild symbols in new and different games. There is also a continuing need to increase the level of excitement and entertainment for people playing gaming machines by providing better gaming experiences and environments at gaming machines. There is a further need for increasing the number of winning symbol combinations generated and awards provided to a player for a single wager on a play of a game.